Gas-engine.



No. 632,888. Patented Sept. l2, I899. S. A. AYRES.

GAS ENGINE.

;App1ication filed Nov. 5, 1898.,

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet m" VEN TOR W1 TJVES'SES.

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No. 632,888. Patented Sept. l2, I899.

S. A. AYRES.

GAS ENGINE. (Application filed Nov. 5, 1898;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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Attorneys Lrmo. WASHINGTON, a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT O FFIGE.

SEYMOUR A. AYRES, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,888, datedSeptember 12, 1899.

Application filed November 5, 1898.

To (all whom it ntmy concern.-

lie it known that I, SEYMOUR A. AYRES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay, State of Hichigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines; and 1 dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap'pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing. and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to gas-engines or to engines of the class whichare driven by the explosion of a combustible gas or vapor; and itconsists in the construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter morefully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The objects of the invention are to prod uce an engine of the classdescribed, of simple and inexpensive construction, in which thearrangement is such as to provide for economy in the use of thepropulsive vapor, to regulate the impulses which the engine re ceivesand thereby control the speed thereof, to provide for proper adj ustmentof the valves to insure a proper seating thereof, and for taking up thewear around the stems of said valves, to provide for a perfectcarburization of the air as it passes into the combustion or explosivechamber, and for regulating the supply of the explosive fluid. Theseobjects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine involvingmy improved features. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through thecarbureting -chamber, the combustion chamber, the inlet and exhaustvalves communicating therewith, the exhaust-port, and a portion of thevalve-operating mechanism, other parts of the engine appearing inelevation. Fig. 5 is a plan view looking into the top of the passageleading to the inlet-valve through which the carhureted air passes,showing the controlling-damper therein. Fig. 4 is a vertical transversesection through the end of the cylinder and communicatingcombustion-chamber as taken on dotted line i at of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is acentral horizontal section as on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. o is a detailshowing Serial No. 696,529. (No model.)

the pump which supplies the explosive fluid to the valve in thecarbnreting chamber. Fig. 7 is adetail of the governor mechanism. Fig. Sis a detail showing a front elevation of the rock-arm as pivoted in theengine-frame and the various parts connected therewith. Fig. 9 is adetailof the valve-actuating arms, showing a change in their positionfrom that shown in Fig. 2 incident to the operation of the engine.

Referring to the letters of reference, A designates the cylinder inwhich the piston A is adapted to reciprocate.

B designates the combustion or explosive chamber communicating with thecylinder through the passage B. Surrounding the cylinder andcombustion-chamber is the exterior jacket A, between which and the wallsof said cylinder is the interposed water-space a.

To the piston is attached one end of the connecting-rod B, the oppositeend of which is journaled on the crank C of the main shaft 0' in amanner common and well understood in the art.

The inlet-valve D and the exhaustvalve D are located within thecombustion-chamber and are arranged approximately parallel, theirvalve-stems b and b, respectively, passing through the exterior wall B"of the combustion-chamber and being supported in the frame D" of theengine. controls the opening into the passage E, through which thecarbureted air or explosive fluid enters the combustionchamber.

The exhaust-valve D controls the opening leading from thecombustion-chamber and communicating with the exhaustport E. The facesof said valves are ground spherical, and their valve-seats are providedwith a circular concave coinciding therewith, so as to insure a perfectseating of said valves, even should there bea slight lateral play intheir val ve-stems. To provide for taking up all wear in the bearingsthrough which said valve-stems reciprocate, said stems are surroundedwith conical split sleeves F, which are provided on their parallel faceswith a thread a, adapted to screw into a threaded aperture in the WallE", a portion of which aperture is tapering to receive the conicalportion of said sleeve, whereby by screwing said-sleeves into saidapertures a proper hearing may be main- The inletvalve D tained aroundsaid valve-stems. Fixed upon 'each of said valve-stems is a collar E,and

upon each of said stems, between said collars and the wall B", is aninterposed coiled spring F, the tension of which spring is exerted tomaintain the valves upon said stems normally closed. The extreme outerends of said valve-stems where they pass through the frame D" of theengine are provided with suitable bearings a", which may be adjusted toinsure a perfect seating of the valves on said stems, and the end of theexhaust-valve stem is provided with a sliding collar 17, for purposeshereinafter stated.

The valve-actuating mechanism is operated through the medium of theeccentric-rod G, which is strapped at one end to the eccentric C" uponthe main shaft of the engine, the opposite end of said rod being pivotedto the lower end of the rock-arm G, which is in turn pivoted at c to thelower frame of the engine. Mounted upon said rock-arm is a series ofpivoted arms and levers adapted to alternately open and close the inletand exhaust valves.

The carbureting-chamber H is located adjaccnt to the passage E, whichleads to the inlet-valve and communicates with said passage through theopening 0'', through which the explosive fluid passes from said chamberinto the passage-way E and meets the aircnrrent, which enters saidpassage way through the air-induct opening H, and mixing with saidair-current is carried thereby into the combustion-chamber whentheinlet-valve D is open.

In the initial starting of the engine the auxiliary pressure-tank I isemployed, which is connected through the medium of the pipe (Z to asource of water-supply under pressure. (Not shown.) The opening of thevalve d will. cause the water to flow into said tank and compress theair in the top thereof until the desired pressure is attained, when thevalve cl is closed. The cup d" is then filled with explosive liquid andthe valve 6 opened to permit said liquid to flow downward into thechamber 6' and spread upon the screen 6 therein. The valve e is thenclosed, and the valve f, located in the pipe f, connecting said tankwith the chamber 6, is opened, allowing air from said tank to passthrough said chamber and vaporize the explosive liquid on the screentherein, carrying the explosive vapor into the combustion-chamber B,past the check-valvef, located in the pipe connecting the chamber 6 withsaid combustion-chamber. As soon as the pressure in thecombustionchamber and the tank I becomes equal the charge in thecombustion-chamber is ignited, which, acting upon the piston in thecylinder through the communicating passage B, starts the engine. Toempty tank I, open valve 61. As the engine starts the damper g, pivotedwithin the passage-way E, is closed, as shown in Fig. 3 and by dottedlines in Fig. 2. In the edge of said damper, opposite the opening 0,

through which the explosive fluid enters the passage-way E, is acircular opening in which is located a screen g, and surrounding saidscreened opening on the damper sideis an upwardly-projecting flange g,against which the explosive fluid impinges and by which said fluid isthrown upon said screen. The closing of said damper in the airpassage-way causes the air to rush with force through said screenedopening, thereby insuring a perfect vaporization of the explosive fluidthrown thereon, and the consequent presence in the combustion-chamber ofa requisite volume of explosive gas while the engine is running slowlybefore it acquires its normal speed. As soon as the engine has acquiredspeed the damper g is opened, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, inwhich position the explosive fluid, passing with force from the valve '6through the opening 0, impinges against said damper and is throwndownward upon the horizontal screen i, crossing the air passage-way Ebelow said damper, and is conveyed in the form of an explosive gas intothe combustion-chamber with the air-current, which enters said chamberwhen the valve D is opened.

In the operation of the engine, the parts being in the position shown inFigs. 1 and 2 and the engine turning in the direction of the arrow shownin Fig. 1, the eccentric O, as will be seen, is placed on the quarterwith respect to the position of the crank C, so that when said crank isat the limit of its rearward throw the rock-arm G, to which theeccentricrod D is attached, will be actuated by said rod, so as to carrythe arm J, pivoted to the lower end thereof, against the end of the stemof the exhaust-valve D, opening said valve, as shown by dotted lines,thereby permitting the escape from the cylinder and combustion-chainberof the products of the preceding explosion as the piston returns to theforward end of the cylinder. As the piston reaches the limit of itsforward stroke the rock-arm G will have been actuated by the eccentricto have retracted the arm J and permitted the exhaust-valve D to close.As the stern of the exhaust-valve is moved forward in the operation ofopening said valve it slides through the collar 1) thereon, which uponthe return of the valve-stem in the operation of closing the valve iscarried rearwardly with said stem, permitting the curved arm G to dropbehind said collar through the action of spring 3/, as clearly shown inFig. 9. This dropping of the curved arm G" carries downward the curvedfinger I, upon which rests the arm J, which is pivoted to the upperendof the rock-arm G, permitting the free end of the arm Jto drop, inresponse to the spring y, into alinement with the end of the inlet-valvestem 1). At the same time the down wardly-curved finger I", also mountedon the arm G, is carried downward by the dropping 01 said arm. Thisfinger has upon its lower end a projection i, which engages the bentflat spring attached to the IIO arm J, whereby said arm J is permittedto be drawn downward by the coiled springj', attached to the under sidethereof, so that the free end of said arm J is out of alinement with theend of the exhaust-valve stem, as also shown in Fig. 9. The parts are inthe above described position as the piston starts on the return stroke.The eccentric 0, passing the upper arc of its circle and swinging to therear, draws upon the rod G and throws the upper end of the rock-armforward, causing the pivoted arm J to engage the end of the stem 1) ofthe inlet-valve and open said valve. The openingof the inlet-valveD willcause the carbureted air to flow through the passage-way E into thecombustion-chamber and cylinder to fill the vacuum created by thereceding piston. As the collar E" upon the stem of the inlet-valve iscarried forward by the opening of said valve, the spring-actuatedlevel-j", pivoted in the frame and engaging said collar, is released, sothat its spring will actuate said lever to draw upon the rod is, whichis attached to said lever and to the bell-cran k 7t", (shown by dottedlines in Fig. 2,) journaled in the wall of the carbureting chamber andhaving upon the inwardlyprojecting end thereof a depending gate 7t,whereby as said rod is is actuated, said gate is swung from in front ofthe aperture 0 in the wall of said chamber, permitting the ex plosivefluid from the valve i to enter the air passage-wayE when theinlet-valve is open and the engine is taking air. Upon the closing ofthe inlet-valve D the collar E on the stem thereof engages the end ofthe leverj" and returns it to its former position, thereby swingingdownward the gate k" in front of the valve-opening i, so that theexplosive fluid is prevented from entering the passage-way E when theengine is not taking air. The explosive fluid, which is directed intothe bottom of the chamber H when the gate k" is in the position abovedescribed, escapes therefrom through the egress-aperture I.

At the pointin the operation of the engine when the valve D closes afteradmitting a charge of explosive gas, the piston having reached theextreme end -of the cylinder, starts upon the return stroke at whichtime the position of the eccentric O is suchas to again swing the lowerend of the rock-arm G loiwvard, causing the pivoted arm J, the end ofwhich is depressed, to engage the collar b upon the stem of theexhaust-valve and slide said collar forward thereon against the bearinga. The beveled face of said collar engaging the end of the arm G" raisessaid arm, thereby carrying upward the finger I, which engages and raisesthe pivoted end of the arm J out of alinement with the end of thevalvestem (1. At the same time the lower finger I on said curved arm israised, placing a tension upon the springj, which, as the lower end ofthe rock-arm recedes so as to cause 1 he end of the arm J to clear theend of the valvestem B, raises said arm J again into alinement with thevalve-stem of the exhaust-valve. During this operation the piston ismoving forward, compressing the charge in the forward end of thecylinder and the combustionchamber. At the time the piston has reachedthe limit of its forward stroke and is about to start upon the returnstroke the charge is ignited in the combustion-chainber through themedium of the arm J, which 'at that moment has reached the limit of itsrearward movement in a depressed position, said arm being provided witha laterally-projecting incline Z into the path of which projects acorrespondingly-beveled arm Z, (see Fig. 5,) which is loosely mounted ona rock-shaft m. Fixed to said shaft is a right-angled dog m, whichprojects onto the upper face of the arm 6'. Secured to the opposite endof the shaft on is a crank m", which is adapted to engage acorresponding crank 77, on the projecting end of a short rock-shaft a,passing through the wall of the combustion-chamber and carrying upon itsinner end a contactpoint a", which is adapted to have contact with asecond contact-point 0, which is in circuit with one pole of the batteryJ", through the line 0', the opposite pole of said battery being incircuit with the contact a, through line 0" and the frame of the engine,the arrangement being such that as the arm 1" is raised by the incline lof the arm J pass ing thereunder the contact-points a" and 0 arepermitted to come together-,and when said incline on said arm J passesthe arm Z and drops it the crank m", actuated by the spring 1) on theshaft in, strikes the crank n and separates the contact-points, making aspark, thereby exploding the charge in the combustion-chamber and givingan impulse to the engine. After operating the igniter the arm J israised by the flat springj, as before described, so as to again open theexhaust-valve on the return of the piston, and so the operationcontinues, the engine receiving a charge and the charge being ignited inalternate succession. As the upper end of the rock-arm G reciprocates,the lug p thereon engages the stops q upon the piston-rod q of the pumpq and operates said pump so as to force the explosive liquid through thepipe 1*, which connects said pump with the valve I, so as to drive theexplosive liquid from said valve with sufficient force to carry it.-through the opening 0' into the passage-way E when the inlet-valve isopen.

The speed of the engine is controlled by the governor mechanism, (shownmore particularly in Figs. 2 and 7,) in which 8 designates a shaft whichis journaled between the opposed brackets K, projecting from theengine'frame. Mounted upon said shaft at one end is a flanged spool K,which is adapted to slide longitudinally on said shaft and rotatetherewith. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 8 is a collar ,9, andenvironing said shaft between said spool and collar is a coiledsprings". Attached to said collar and said 4 ceases spool at oppositeends are the flat springs 15, located on opposite sides of said shaftand having secured thereto at their longitudinal against the projectingflange of the spool K.

Also fixed to the pin 0, at the outer end thereof and adapted to move inunison with the spring-arm L, is a crank L, which extends downwardly andto the end of which the rod to is coupled, the opposite end of said'rodbeing coupled to a spring u, projecting from the detent u, pivoted inthe engine-frame and adapted to engage the collar E on the stem of theexhaust-valve to hold said valve open, as hereinafter described.Projecting from the rock-arm G is an auxiliary arm M, which is formedintegral with the rock-arm and is provided at its outer end with alaterally-projecting button '12, adapted to be attached by the screw '0.Projecting from the side of the spring-arm L is a like button 1), whichis adapted to be engaged by the button on the auxiliary arm M in thefollowing manner: When the speed of the engine is above the normal, thecentrifugal force exerted by the governor-weights 25 will bow thesprings 2- upon which said weights are mounted and cause the spool K toslide longitudinally on the shaft 8. The flange of said spool engagesthe spring-arm L, causing said arm to spring over sufficiently to carrythe button 12" thereon into the path of the button a; on the arm M, sothat said buttons engage as the arm M moves downward, carrying the arm Ltherewith, thereby rocking the pin 0 and actuating the crank L tooperate the rod uand place a tension upon the spring it, connected withthe detent u, so that as the stem of the exhaust-valve is moved forwardin the operation of opening the valve the collar E" will be carriedbeyond the end of said detent, when because of the tension placed uponthe spring to the point of said detent will rise into the path of saidcollar and prevent the closing of said valve, as clearly shown by dottedlines in Fig. 2, the tension of the spring F holding said collar againstsaid detent with sufficient force, to maintain said detent in position.In this position of parts the collar 1) on said valve-stem remains underthe curved arm G, maintaining said arm in its raised position andholding the arm J, through the medium of the finger I, in an elevatedposition out of alinement with the stem of the inlet-valve D, wherebysaid inletvalve remains closed, and no further impulse can be given theengine until its speed decreases sufficiently to cause a disengagementof the buttons 1) c, When the arm L will be released, permitting thespring 20 to raise the arm L and draw upon the rod to, so as to causethe detent u," to drop from engagement with the collar of the stem ofthe exhaustvalve, permitting said valve to close and carrying thecollar 1) on the stem thereof from engagement with the curved arm G,allowing said arm to drop and presenting the arm J again in alinementwith the stem of the inlet-valve D, when said valve will be opened andanother impulse given to the engine.

To stop the engine, the pivoted lever w is thrown over, so that theshoulder to thereon will engage the upper end of the spring-actuatedlever j, thereby preventing the spring 2 from moving said leverj" toopen the gate 7c, whereby the explosive fluid is excluded from theair-passage way E, thereby depriving the engine from a further charge.At the same time the movement of said lever above described breaks thecontact thereof with the insulated spring-terminal z, to which theconductor 0 from the battery leads, thereby breaking the electricalcircuit through the contact-points within the combustionchamber.

Having thus fully set forth this invention, what is claimed is- 1. In agas-engine, the combination of the reciprocating valve-stems carryingvalves which are located in the com bustion-chamber, springs for holdingsaid valves normally closed, the rock-arm having the valve-actuatingarms adapted to operate upon saidvalvestems to open said valves, apivoted arm independent of the rock-arm-carrying fingers adapted tooperate the valve-actuating arms to carry them into and out of alinementwith said valve-stems, and means for actuating said finger-carrying arm.

2. In an engine, the combination with the reciprocating valve-stems, thesliding collar upon one of said valve-stems, a rock-arm, valve-actuatingarms pivoted on said rockarm and adapted to engage the ends of saidvalve-stems, a pivoted arm carrying curved fingers adapted to operatethe valve-actuating arms, said finger-carrying arm engaging said slidingcollar whereby it is successively raised and lowered substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination of the inlet-valve closing andopening communication with the combustion-chamber, an air passage-waycommunicating with said valve, a fixed collar on the end of said valve,a carbureting-chamber adjacent to said air passage-way, an openingconnecting said passage-way with said chamber, a fluid-emitting valveprojecting into said chamber in line with said opening, a movable gateinterposed between said valve and opening, a spring-actuated leverpivoted in the engine-frame adapted to be engaged by the fixed collar onsaid valve-stem, a rod connecting said lever with said movable gatewhereby said gate is actuated by the opening and closing of said valve.

said valve-stem so as to prevent the opening of said inlet-valve untilthe speed of the engine is reduced.

5. In a gas-engine, a governor mechanism comprising a rotar T spooladapted to slide means for sliding said spool a pivoted springupon itsspindle, as its rotary speed varies,

arm engaging a flange of said spool and carrying a projecting button, alever on the pivot of said arm adapted to be moved thereby, a movablearm carrying a button adapted to engage the button on said spring-armwhen moved into the path thereof by the sliding of said spool wherebythe lever on the pivot of said spring-arm is actuated, means connectedwith and operated by said lever for preventing an impulse to the enginewhile said buttons are in position for engagement.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

. SEYMOUR A. AYRES.

Witnesses:

J. O. HEWITT, W. J. SOVEREIGN.

